Block signal checking device for railroads



Oct. 4, 1932. J. A. BORLAND BLOCK SIGNAL CHECKING DEVICE FOR RAILRQADS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, l95l INVENTOR. John A. Bow-land ATTORNEYS.

lll llllllllllll i 5 i n i i i 5 Oct. 4, 1932. J. A. BORLAND BLQCK SIGNAL CHECKING DEVICE FOR RAILROADS Filed July 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet i&

INVENTOR- John fl.B T'Zand ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED s'rA'rss 7 JOHN A. B0

rare;

RLAND', OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, 'A SSIGNOR TO BORLAN D TRANSPORTATION AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA I BLooKsIenAL cnnoxine DEVICE non EAILROADS Application filed Ju1y 6, 1931. Serial No. 548,742;

The present invention relates to a block signal checking device for railroads.

Most railroads at present are equipped with electrical signal means to indicate to a train crew the presence of another train on the same section of track as that being entered by their train, and also to indicate any break in the electrical connection of the rails in said section.

In order to be effective, these signals, and their operating circuits, must function with the utmost reliability, and it is'therefore necessary to check them frequently, and to maintain them in the best possible condition.

An object of the present invention is to improve and simplify the checking of block signal apparatus, and the rail circuits therefor.

In order to attain this object, there is provided, in accordancewith one feature of the invention, a carriage provided with motive power to propel it along'a track, and having wipe brushes in'electrical contact with the track over which the device is being operated, the mechanism being provided with interchange-able electrical circuits by means of which various conditions of the track, and

the associated signals can be tested to determine their operativeness.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully brought out in the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a mechanism embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Figure l. V I

Figure 3 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a conducting bar and a pair of rail contacting brushes. I

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of a wheel and a rail contacting brush, a portion of the housing of the brush being broken away to show the construction thereof.

Figure 6 shows side and front views, respectively, of a brush housing and associated brush, portions of, the housing in each View being broken away to show the construction thereof; and

' Figure 7 is a schematic view of an electrical circuit embodied in the device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a carriage A, the construction of which isnot material to the invention, is here shown as havthe device over the wheels on one side so as to facilitate tipping the carriage when it is. necessary to remove it from the track.

Plvotally mounted in bearings '5 adjacent each of the axles are a pair of rods 6 and '7' the end portions 80f each of these rods being bent to lie at substantially right angle-s to the central portions of-the rods. These rods are each provided with brush housings 13 mounted on each of the bent end portions 8 thereof. An operating handle 9 is provided'on each of the rods 6 and 7 .and each of these handles is provided with a hand grip portion 10 pivotally connected thereto, said hand grip portion being provided with a pin, not shown, adapted to enter openings 7 11 in asegment secured to the carriage to retain the operating handles 9 in adjusted position. In eachof the brush housings 18 is mounted a brush 14 which may be of carbon, the brush being of a size to have a slidable fit within the housing 13. A coilsp'ring 15 is mounted within the housing 13 above the brush 14 to exert a resilient downward pressure on the brush. Each brush is provided with a plurality of transverse parallel apertures 16, in any one of which maybe inserted a pin 17, the ends of which ride in longi tudinallydisposed slotted apertures 18 in the sides of the housing members 13 to limit the downward movement of the brushes when the brushes are raised out of contact with rails 19 upon which the device is mounted.

The device may be propelled by a gasoline motor 20 of a conventional type, having drivmg connection with one of the wheels as by means of a sprocket chain 21 in a well known manner. A clutch, not shown, of any suitable type, is embodied in the motor and may be operated by a lever 22 which projects upwardly through a slotted opening 23in the top of the compartment 4. An instrument panel 24 is mounted in a recessed central portion 25 of the compartment 4, so that the instruments mounted in said instrument panel will lie entirely below the surface of the top of the compartment. I mounted on one side of the recess 25 so that it-may be swung over when desired to cover the recess and protect the instruments when not inuse. This door. may be swung downwardly to the position shown in Figure 3, when it is desired to use the instruments.

The interior of the rear portion of the compartment 4 may be sub-divided, as illustrated in Figure 2 to provide individual compartments for various pieces of apparatusemployed in carrying out the present invention. A horizontal partition 27, which may be of heavy sheet metal, is secured in position below the instruments mounted upon the instrument panel 24 and the portion of the compartment below this longitudinally disposed partition is divided transversely by a vertical partition 28 so as to divide this space into two compartments, one 29 of which, may be used as a battery compartmerit, and the other 30 of which may be used 7 to house a relay 31, and a second similar relay directly behind the one shown Figure -2 and which, therefore, does not appear in the drawings. The electrical wiring is omitted from Figure 2 for the purpose of simplifying the drawings. The method of wiring is clearly illustrated, however, in Figure 7.

In using the present device it isneces'sary to havea complete set of instruments and circuit controls for each rail, so that each rail may be tested separately; A complete set of instruments and associated circuits and other apparatus for the testing of one rail are illustrated in Figure 7. A similar. circuit arrangement and a duplicate set of apparatus are required for the testing of the other rail.

In this circuit a three-position switch-33 is provided. This switch is adaptedto electrically connect pairs of adjacent contact points. Theswitch 33 has ends of electrically conductive metal, whichends are insulated from each otherand from the central portion of the switch, as by means of insulation 34 so as to prevent a flow of electrical current across this switch. The specific type of switch is not material to 'theinvention and any suitable switch for selectivity connecting the various pairs of conductors, as herein- A hinged door 26 isafter described, would be suitable. The contact points 35 and 36 and the contact points 37 and 38 are arranged, when connected with each other, by means of the ends of the switch 33 to complete an electrical circuit from a battery 39 through a rail from one brush B 73 to the other brush B'74. Tl1is circuit will be later described in detail. 7

The next two pairs of contact points to be connected by the armature, namely the points 40. and 41 in one group, and 42 and 43 in the other, when connected by means of the switch 33, are arranged to complete an electrical circuitfrom one brush 13-73 to the other brush 13-74011 the same rail, and, when the rail overwhich the device is traveling is charged with direct current electricity, to detect a break inthe electrical circuit through the rail. When the switch 33 is moved to electrically connect contactpoints and 44 in one group, and 43 and 45 in the other, acircuit is completed from the brush B7 3 through various instruments to be hereinafter set forth in detail, to the other brush B-74. This circuit Before considering the arrangement of,

each of the circuits above referred to, the various pieces of apparatus andrecording instrumentsemployed in the circuits will be described. The instruments illustrated in the upperright hand portion of Figure 7 comprise a direct current volt meter 48, an alternatin-g current volt meter-49, an alternating current ammeter 50, anda second direct current ammeter 51. y A rh'eostat 52 is provided to control the intensity of the current, and a relay 53 is constructed with the coil thereof in two sections, one section of which is used in the alternating current circuits, and the other in the direct currentcircuits. Signal mechanisms such as an electrically-actuated horn 54 and an electrical signal lamp 5-5 are also provided. A magnetically actuated paint spraying. valve 56.is provided withi'an operating coil 57 having an armature 5'8 pivotally mounted up'on a support 59'and adapted to be attracted by the magnetism of the coil 57 when said coil is energized toop'e n 'the valve 56. This v"a1veisconnectedasby means of a pipe 60 to ahermetically sealed tank, not shown, containing a quantity of the pipe 61 onto the rail or ties to indicate actuation of the apparatus and thnsindioate a defectivecondition of the rail at the point nect the storage battery to the circuit when the switch 39 is in the solid line position as shown in Figure 7 Referring now to the circuits in detail, it is assumed first that the switch 33 is in positionto connect thecontact points 35 and 36 and the points 37 and 38.

I Battery circuit With the switch in the above position, the

device is intended to complete an electrical The switch 63 is moved to the solid line position shown in Figure 7 to disconnect the generator 62 and to connect the battery 39 to the circuit. From one terminal of the battery 39, a conductor 64 is connected to a second conductor 65 which is connected to the contact point 36. From here the switch. 33 connects across to the contact point 35 and from thence aconductor 66 is connected to the di rect current winding of the relay coil 53. The other end of this portion of the winding is connected'by means of a conductor 67 to the rheostat 52 from which a conductor 68 is connected to the direct current ammeter 50' which is not employed in this circuit, but does not interfere with the operation of the circuit. From 1). C. ammeter 47, wire 69 leads to A. G. ammeter 50. From this alternating current ammeter 50 a conductor 7'0 is connected to a conductor 71- which is connectedto a brush B+ 73. From here the circuit extends across through the rail 72 to the other brush B7e from whence a conductor 75 is connected to the switch 63 and thence to the negative side of the battery.

It will be seen that as long as this circuit is complete (and it is apparent that a break in the rail 72 will break this circuit), the relay 53 will remain energized holdingthe armature 7 6 of the relay in the dotted line position. -As long as the relayv is held in the dotted line position the alarm circuit, which is indicated in heavy black lines on the drawings, will remain open, s nce with the relay in this closed position, the conductor 64. from the positive side of the battery will be connected through the relay armature to a conductor 77 which is connected to the contact point 42 and by means of a conductor 78 to contact point & 5. Inasmuch as neither of these contact points is connected to the switch 33, with the switch in the present referred to position, it is apparent that the alarm circuit will not be complete. Assuming, however, that a broken rail is encountered between the brushes B73 and B7l, the circuit through the relay 53 will be broken, releasing the armature 76, spring 79 will draw the armature 76 to the solid line position shown in Figure 7.

. This will complete a circuit from the positive side of the battery 39through conductor 6st, through the armature 76 of the relayfto a conductor 80 which is connected to the contact point 38. The contact'point 38 is connected by the switch 33 to-the contact point 37 whence a conductor 81 is connected to a conductor 82 which in turn is connected to con ductors 83 and 84-, which are connected, res.=pcctiwely,v to the sound emitting apparatus 54 and the lamp 55. The conductor 82 is connected to the coil of the relay 57. The other sides of the sound emitting apparatus, lamp and coil are connected by conductors 86, 87, and 88 to conductor 89 which is connected to the direct current ammeter 51 from whence a conductor 90 is connected to a conductor 91 connected to a conductor 96 which is connected through the switch 63 and a conductor 92 to the negative side of the battery. From the conductor 82, a conductor 100 is connected to the D. 0. volt meter 48, and thence a conductor 91 is connected through switch 63 and conductor 92 to negative battery. This completes the circuit through the alarm apparatus and also ener izes the paint valve 56 which sprays a quantity oi paint onto the rail to indicate the point which the alarm mechanism was energized. V a

Direct Carr-emf rail circuit 7 Assume n ext that it i s desired to test a section of rail which is energized with direct current. For this operation, the switch 33 will be moved to connect the points l0 and ell, and the points 42 and 43.

hen the testing mechanism is passing over normal, unbroken track, it will be apparent that the current in the track circuit will flow through the rails and there will be no tendency for the current to flow through a circuit connected to the brushes l373 and. 13-74. However, should'thc carriage pass over a break in the rail 7 2, the rail current, bein unable to pass this break, will flowthrough the circuit between the brushes.

The direct current rail circuit is arranged as follows, the switch 33, being set as above described: From brush B 74, conductor 75 is connected to a conductor 96, to the co whereupon the conductors 70 and B73.

voltmeter l ductor 69, the alternating current ammeter 50, which is not affected by the passage of the direct, current of this circuit, but does not interfere therewith, and thence through the 71 to the other brush As above pointed out, no current will flow through this circuit except when the track is energized with direct current and the track circuit is broken bet-ween the brushes B7 3 and B74-. This being so, the relay 53 will remain normally unoperated, as indicated in solid lines in Figure 7, when the mechanism is passing over unbroken rails. From the normally closed contact of the relay 53, conductor 80 is connected to terminal point 38 and as the switch 33 is not in contact with this terminal point, the alarm circuitwill be deenergized, when the relay 53 is open. Upon energizing of the relay 53, however, the alarm circuit will be energized, current flowing from the positive terminal of the battery 39,

through the conductor 64, the armature 7 6,

the conductor 77, to the contact point 42, thence across the switch to the contact point 43, thence through the conductor 82, the.

signal means 54 and and the paint valve relay 57, as above described for the first circuit and thence through the conductor 89 to the ammeter 51 and thence through conductors 90 and 91 to negative battery.

Alternating current mil circuit For similarly testing the rails when they are charged with alternating current, the switch 33 is moved to connect the points 40 and 44 and the points 43 and 45.

As above'explained, no current will flow through the circuit when passing over unbroken rails, but when a. break in the rail circuit is brought between the brushes B73 and B7 l, current will flow from the brush B7l, through conductor 7 5, conductor 96 to terminal point 40, thence across the end of the switch 33, to contact point 44, through a conductor 95, to the alternating current winding of the coil 53, thence through the conductor 67, through the rheostat 52, the conductor 68, through the direct current 7, which is not material to the present circuit, but does not interfere with tle flow of the alternating current theret-hrough, through the conductor 69, the alternating current ammeter 50, thence through the conductors 7 O and 71 to the brush B-73.

As there is normally no How of current through this circuit, as above set forth, the relay 53 will be normally. unoperated. Therefore, the relay armature 76 will be normally in contact with the conductor 80 and as this conductor is connected to the terminal. point 38 with which the switch 3.3 is not in contact, the alarmcircuit will be normally unoperated. v

Upon operation of the relay 53 caused by a breakinthe rail circuit between the brushes B73 and 13-74, the alarm circuit will be to the, required position, as hereinbefore de? scribed, depending upon whether the rails.

are charged with alternating or direct current.

Should there be more than one break in a rail circuit under test, however, it is appar ent that the test circuit would not be energized in passing over one of these breaks, since the rail circuit would also be open at the other break. When a double break is suspected, therefore, the test will be conducted by means of the first of the above described circuits, namely, that in which the switch 33 connects the contacts 35 and 36 andthe con tacts 37 and 38. l

The mechanism comprises a simple and positive means of locating and making broken rails and other open connections in block signal rail circuit and which performs these operations while moving over a track under its own motive power.

I claim:

l. A railway rail circuit tester, comprising a wheeled carriage, a pair of contact members longitudinally spaced apart and adapted to engage a rail upon which the carriage is supported, and an electrical circuit interconnecting said rail contact members and adapted to be energized by a flow of electricity through said circuit, said rail normally constituting a shunt across said contact members to prevent a flow of electrical current through said circuit.

2. A railway rail circuit tester, comprising a wheeled carriage, a pair of contact memtrical connection with said brushes and hav- 1 ing a source of electrical current therein, se-

lective switch means adapted to disconnect said first circuit and connect said second cirv cuit to-said contact members, alarm means 7 normally held in an inoperative position by a flow ofcurrent from said source of electrical current, through said rail, and means adapted to energize said alarm means upon an inter-:

ruption of said flow of current In testimony whereof I afiix my si nature.

JOHN A. BORLKND. 

